Peristylus pachyneurus (Schltr.) P.F.Hunt, Kew Bull. 26 (1971) 177
Basionym: Habenaria pachyneura
Terrestrial, erect or ascending, 20-45 cm high; roots elongated, flexuose, puberulous. Stem terete, glabrous, with several leaves in the basal third or basal half [i.e. just below the peduncle]. Leaves 5-9, erect-patent, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous, on upper side with somewhat thickened nerves, 2.5-5 by 0.8-1.8 cm. Peduncle with distant, lanceolate, bract-like scales; rachis densely many-flowered, elongated, secund. Floral bracts lanceolate, acuminate, often about as long as the ovary. Flowers glabrous. Median sepal ovate, obtuse, 0.25 cm long. Lateral sepals deflexed, obliquely oblong, obtuse, as long as the median sepal. Petals obliquely rhombic-elliptic obtuse, as long as the median sepal, in basal third along the anterior margins adnate to the lip. Lip in outline broadly rhombic, 0.25 cm long, 3-lobed to the middle; the lateral lobes small, triangular, subobtuse; mid-lobe much larger, ovate, obtuse; at the base of the lip with a rhombic callus; spur straight, slightly decurved, cylindrical, at the apex slightly obovoid-inflated, c. 0.45 cm long. Rostellum small, transverse, thickened in the middle; stigmatophores cylindrical, longer than the anther channels; staminodes large, unequally bilobed. Anther obtusely apiculate, anther channels short. Ovary cylindrical glabrous, c. 0.8 cm long. (After Schlechter, 1911-1914)
Colours: Flowers green.
Habitat: Terrestrial in montane forest, shrubland and banks; 1350 to 3000 m.
Flowering time in the wild: January, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
Distribution: Malesia (New Guinea).
Distribution in New Guinea: Papua New Guinea. See map: 542-114M.JPG.
Cultivation: Cool growing terrestrial.